Plugin underway for 3M-50 and other RadioThermostat WiFi Thermostats

[AllanMar]

I was going to look at creating my own plugin for this. Glad to hear someone else is working on one though.

Do you plan to have usage tracking ability? That's what I wanted to create a plugin for. Track heating time vs in/outside temperature and such. Be great to determine how much of a difference the set back actually makes, and track how long re-heating will take. Also just general temperature tracking...

[reidfo]

At this point I'm open to all suggestions. Are you asking for something that just logs the temp/setpoint to a database, or something more?

[AllanMar]

I'm looking for that, as well as logging the time the furnace actually is on for. (/tstat/datalog & /tstat/eventlog) would be the likely sources for this info. I havent had much luck tracking down documentation on /tstat/eventlog the relay field is the most confusion. I suspect this is some sort of bit array as to which relay is on/off mine seems to report 64 with heat relay on, and 65 with heat relay off (or vise versa, i cant recall).

I started a plugin some time ago, but it didn't go very far (ran out of time). I may continue it yet.

[asphyx]

What's the status on the plugin??
I wrote a little script to pull the info from my 3M-50 but that's as far as I got. I'm not really good at writing scripts

[davistw2]

Using Script too

I am using a script too. However, I cant get it to automatically poll. I am looking forward to a plugin.

[jkarney]

Since I don't do scripting well I hope a plugin is in the works for the 3M-50 wifi thermostat. If there is I will be making a trip to Homedepot.

[jwshome2]

I'm using a script as well to read from the thermostat and change settings , but I don't like having to trigger CURL (I think it is causing some sort of lockup on Homeseer after 24 hours or so - memory usage goes to 98 percent, and I get error messages in my log saying that too many scripts are running. Must be I am not closing something out in my script).

Anyway - that's a long way of saying I would prefer to use a plugin that worked correctly. Ideally the plugin would allow the user to read from and write to the thermostat. In addition to all the existing fields (heat/cold setpoints, current temperature, schedule, etc) it would be nice to incorporate the upcoming ability (not sure when it will be available) to tell if the thermostat is calling for heat or cooling.

I'd be happy to help test the plugin when it is ready.

Regards.

[asphyx]

I'm using curl also and I don't seem to have any problems with any lockups but it just doesn't seem right.

[Guest]

Plug In Status

Any updates on the plug in? Would be happy to help test or offer whatever non-coding experience i can offer :-).

C

[reidfo]

The plug-in is coming along nicely. I've been out of town for most of the last 4 weeks, so hadn't had much chance to work on it, but I'm back in the swing of things now.

I just got autodiscovery working today, so once a thermostat is provisioned according to the manufacturer's instructions the plug-in can autodiscover all thermostats on the local WiFi network. Should make setup much easier.

The first version of the plug-in will have autodiscovery, the ability to set setpoints, heating and cooling modes, fan modes, read settings and temperature, and may support the humidity controls of the CT80, though I don't have one to test with.

I'll post more as things progress, and I expect to have something out "real soon now."

[The Keeper]

Hope this works out for you. I wrote a script that controlled a CT50 that I bought from the Depot, but I took it back two weeks later because the CT50 kept crashing. I already know the CT family is fragile, so I kept trying to space things further and further apart, but the CT50 continued to crash at least once every day or two (there's a 6-hour watchdog, so I'd either have to hit the reset button or wait for the 6-hour watchdog to kick over), and support couldn't help.

The basic problem was that the Marvell Wifi core would go out to lunch an hour or so after updating the setpoint. I could poll until the cows come home, but updating the setpoint using the JSON interface would cause the Marvell to freak out. I took Wireshark traces and such, but there was no solution offered.

Good luck!

Chris

[Gwumm]

Ok, I'll take a look. Since I'm planning on supporting the CT-30, CT-50 (3M-50), and CT-80 anyway it should be trivial to include humidity settings. Unfortunately I don't have a CT-80 to test with as they're a little pricey for me.

HI Reidfo,
I'll have a WiFi CT-30 & CT-80 shortly - And would be very happy to test the plugin to confirm.

Just wondering if you've had any chance to make progress on the plugin as yet?
Cheers,
Gwumm

[reidfo]

...but the CT50 continued to crash at least once every day or two (there's a 6-hour watchdog, so I'd either have to hit the reset button or wait for the 6-hour watchdog to kick over), and support couldn't help.

The basic problem was that the Marvell Wifi core would go out to lunch an hour or so after updating the setpoint. I could poll until the cows come home, but updating the setpoint using the JSON interface would cause the Marvell to freak out. I took Wireshark traces and such, but there was no solution offered.

@Chris, I'm wondering if you got a bad unit. I've installed to 3M-50's purchased from HD and they seem to be responding consistently. It was a bit of a trick to get them provisioned, but once they were they've been solid. I've had one installed for a few weeks and installed the other last weekend.

I'll be working hard on the plugin this weekend with the goal of having at least basic control up and running.

[jwshome2]

I have five 3M-50s and after some difficulty provisioning they are all operating consistently. Their ability to connect to the cloud is highly random - I suspect the cloud platform and the automatic "phone home" capability are not well designed - but polling via wifi works reliably.

I understand, from the RTOA discussion forum, that a number of events (that to me seem strange) will automatically reset the thermostat's heat setpoint from whatever is is at to the temperature setting in the programmed schedule - for example:

• when the mode is changed

• if you go to the program screen, or possibly when the API reads the program schedule

• when you set the time on the thermostat

I may not be interpreting this information correctly, but I'm posting this here to make sure you don't overlook the possible complications. A number of users have complained of the temperature mysteriously being reset, and it turns out it is these factors that are causing the problem.

Like most users (I assume), I'd like the plugin to allow Homeseer total control over the temperature settings, and not having anything from RTOA interfere with that.

I'm happy to test with multiple thermostats whenever you are ready. My script seems to be working fine, but I'd always prefer a plugin.

Regards.

[rschildt]

Just picked up the 3M-50 yesterday. How's the work on the plug-in coming along. Like to try it out once I install the stat.

Haven't had time to get through all the directions yet, but does anyone know if it requires the "C" hardwire power? Or can the wireless module work with just the batteries? I assume I can run a 2 wire jumper from the furnace to the stat location if needed?

Ron